Month: June 2023

Judges 10:16 And the put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

Repentance includes putting away sinful habits and this world’s gods. Repentance involves setting aside the sins we abhor and vowing not to do it again. Isaiah 55:7: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Although we will fail in keeping our word not to sin again, His compassion never fails and pardon is abundant and always ready. The believer daily puts away his sins of the flesh and of the world. In Biblical terms, he remembers his Baptism and dies to self. A new man daily arises. And because we don’t stop sinning we don’t stop repenting and believing.

We may not have left entirely, but every day we return to the Lord because He is compassionate, and His soul (yes, God has a soul) grieves for the misery we suffer on account of sin. Think of it: our sin grieves the Holy Spirit within. We love the Lord for loving us, so we put away sin and receive forgiveness through daily repentance and weekly forgiveness. Then we enjoy life.

Judges 10:6, 10 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashteroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served him not…. And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

The children of Israel repeat the cycle once again: sin, repent, pray, delivered. They did evil again by having other gods. In their subsequent misery and oppression suffered at the hands of their enemies they cried unto the Lord in repentance and prayer, admitting their sin against the Lord and pleading for help. As it turned out, as usual, the Lord in mercy delivered them again by sending a Deliverer.

The story may be getting old as the cycle repeats, but it is really no different for us in our daily cycle of living. And I do mean daily, not years. We do evil by going after the gods of this world and forsaking our Savior every time we sin. We suffer the miserable consequences inflicted by the Enemy. We turn to the Lord in repentance and prayer, asking for forgiveness and help. God in mercy grants forgiveness and deliverance by sending His Son, the Great Deliverer. This happens once in Baptism, and then countless times through the Gospel in our daily lives.

We are not different from, or better than, Israel. We cannot say “That was them and not me.” Their story is our story. The Holy Spirit is showing us a picture of our lives: do evil, suffer misery, cry out, be saved. That pattern will repeat for all sinner-saints until we die and receive the Final Victory, which is permanent. “God so loved that He sent.”

Judges 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.

After Gideon died much civil strife arose among the people. Abimelech had 70 sons of Gideon killed and made himself king for a short while. Rebellion, pride, and arrogance caused a period of rebellion and unrest in and around Shechem. The sin of Abimelech caused the troubles. God Himself had to put a stop to the anarchy by sending an evil spirit to come between him and the city. Abimelech receives a spirit of trouble that leads to his downfall. (A woman dropped a millstone on his head.)

Most of the judges in this book receive the Spirit of the Lord to empower and help them, sometimes even reluctantly. But Abimelech was not chosen by God; he took it upon himself to exert power for himself. His own presumption and pride brought the spirit of trouble. God used the devil to stop the strife, just like He sent an evil spirit to vex King Saul, who tried to kill David.

Why does God use the devil? Since God Himself cannot do evil or stir up trouble He allows Sin to have its way and lead to its natural consequences of strife and trouble. The source and cause of the evil spirit is not God but it is in the sinner. We mean evil, but means it for good. Let the Lord have His way and His will be done.

Judges 8:33-34 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, ant went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berth their god. And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side.

Typically, when the people’s spiritual (and military) leader died, they turned again and went a whoring after Baal and the pagan gods of the world. They responded to the temptations of the world around them and did not remember (worship and be wholly devoted to) the Lord who delivered them. They were unfaithful (using the marriage metaphor) because they had no shepherd to lead them. Israel was like all sinners in that they wanted to remain married to God while at the same time enjoying the pleasures of the world. Adultery kills by opening one up to the enemy. Without the inner restraints of faithful servant leaders people drift away.

The examples from the period of the judges shows us how important it is to be under faithful spiritual leadership and attend church worship regularly. The dangers from our spiritual enemies and the temptations of the world are too powerful to resist on our own without remembrance of deliverance and constant reminders of the Gospel. For this reason, God sends judges into our lives to preach the gospel to bring us to God and keep us in Him. Trying to go it alone does not work very well. The gods of this world are not friends of ours and will bring us into shame and misery. Look to Jesus daily (and only) for deliverance.

Judges 8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered from the hand Midian.

After Gideon had overcome the Midianite oppression, the people responded by wanting to make him a king to rule over them. Gideon wisely declined, and said, “The Lord shall rule over you.” Humans recognize their need and often seek out a strong human leader to protect them, guide them, and care for them.

Israel was fearful of God’s direct presence on Sinai, so they asked Moses to mediate the Lord’s words to them, and lead them. After the period of the judges, Israel asked Samuel to give them a king. Samuel refused at first, saying, like Gideon, the Lord is your king. Israel was to be a theocracy. But The Lord relented, and anointed for them a king, which didn’t work so well for the kingdom, as Samuel predicted.

The need for strong leadership is endemic in human history: witness dictators, Communism, chiefs, and strong men. God Himself, and He alone, is our true Shepherd and only King, who provides, protects, guards, directs, guides, and leads us securely and happily home to His Kingdom. This is what He always wanted: to be our God and we His people directly. But into this sin-filled and death-ridden world ruled by the god of this world, the son of God has entered to take back the kingdom, rule our hearts as the loving Shepherd, and become our King and Lord. And so through the Gospel and the power of the Spirit we confess, Jesus is Lord.

Meanwhile, the Lord does send us human spiritual leaders (apostles prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers) to bring us the Word and mediate God. But it is clear, we have One Lord and King and Shepherd. And we seek to have Jesus rule over us.

Judges 8:16-17 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.

While Gideon and his 300 were pursuing Zeba and Zalmunna of the Midianites, he asked the men of Succoth and of Penuel for bread for his weary troops. Both cities refused to help. They refused to help him because they were afraid of the enemy. They had neither faith nor respect for God or the man of God. Afterward, in this verse, Gideon carried out the threat he made earlier (v. 7-9).

Refusing to help anyone in need when it in our power to do so because it will not benefit us personally is a sin of omission. Jesus says at the judgment: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Helping the neighbor is what a Christian does in response to the Gospel of salvation. But we fail. Therefore, Jesus died also for the good things we did not do.

The penalty Gideon imposed nay seem severe, but it points out to us the serious nature of the sin of omission, which shows disrespect for God.

Judges 7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned unto the host of Israel, and said, Arise, for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

The Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, the angel gave him the sign of a burning rock, He made the fleece dry, then He made the fleece wet, and He whittled the army down to 300 men, lest Israel vaunt themselves. After all that, Gideon still needed faith and courage. So the Lord had him eavesdrop on the enemy camp, where he heard talk of a dream in which Gideon won the battle. This latest event encouraged and strengthened him all the more.

Then in response he worshipped the Lord and spoke with confident faith, assuring the 300 of the Lord’s victory. Worship is our response when we hear the gospel of Jesus’ past, present, and future victory over Sin, Death, and the Devil. This word and promise is the sword of the Lord. We do not worship the Lord just because we are commanded to, but because we have heard, understood, and believed the Word of God. Worship is the response of our whole life and our never-pausing attitude. A weekly worship life leads to a daily life of worship. When we march under His banner of love we go from victory unto victory, until every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed. So we worship. Constant worship comes from constant forgiveness and never-ending grace.

Judges 6:37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by thine hand, as thou hast said.

Gideon wanted to believe God, but in human unbelief he could not be sure. Therefore, he challenged God for proof of His word and promise: he put a fleece on the floor, saying make the fleece wet and the earth around it dry. And God did so. Just as he requested. But he did it a second time, only this time he asked to make the fleece dry and the earth wet with dew. And God did so.

There is open debate on the question whether Gideon should have challenged the Lord in this manner. I think not: lingering doubt caused him to put out a fleece. The Lord had already appeared to him and told him what He would do. It should be enough for us to simply believe His promise and do what He says. But whether Gideon was right or wrong, God answered his further request for proof.

The Lord understands doubt and unbelief, and loves us anyway. Although Jesus rebuked Thomas’ doubt, He let him touch His resurrected body anyway. Such is His Love. But He did say, “Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed.” We have the Word of God and it is enough. Faith sees. Doubt wants proof. Jesus sends the Spirit to convince through Word and Sacrament. We don’t need to see a sign, though Jesus does grant them.

Judges 6:24, 26, 28 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord….And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice, with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down….The altar of Baal was cast down that was by it.

After the Lord appeared to Gideon and called him to a mission, Gideon’s response was to worship (build an altar to) the Lord and offer a sacrifice. The second part of his committed response was to tear down an altar of Baal and the grove of pagan idols. Though this was a bold action, he did this at night for fear of the townspeople, who did become terribly upset when they woke in the morning and saw what Gideon did.

Worship of the One True God is the natural response of the believer when he comes face to face with the Gospel of Christ and the love of God. We build an altar in the heart and make a place there where we continually thank God. We go to that place in the morning and during the day we pray, praise, and give thanks. We also literally build a physical altar and gather together there to hear the gospel and worship weekly.

The other side of the worship coin is this: demolish the altars in the heart that were devoted to the gods of this world. This happens when we remember our Baptism where the old man is drowned and dies and a new man arises. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The gods of this world are ever around us and in our flesh. So we worship, pray, repent, believe, and destroy. Praise Jesus and die to self.

Judges 6:17 And he said unto him, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

The Angel of the Lord (Jesus) had just appeared to Gideon and told him that he would deliver Israel from the Midianites. Gideon’s response to God’s presence and His call was to protest that he was a common man and unworthy. And although he knew it was the Lord he couldn’t really believe it. He needed to be sure, so he asked for a sign to convince him that it was really God speaking to him. So the Angel touched the rock with his staff and burned with fire the offering Gideon prepared. The Lord condescended to the human’s limitations and gave a sign. Gideon was convinced: he said, “Alas, Oh Lord God, for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face.”

Man does not see God and so does not believe Him. Even if God or an angel should appear to us in real life we could still doubt, for it could be an apparition or an illusion. Satan can even appear as an angel of light. Jesus did indisputable signs and wonders and many still could not believe Him.

We have the Word of God, and that is enough. Abraham said to the rich man in hell: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” The Word and the Sacraments are the signs that the Lord has chosen to show us. The Holy Spirit uses these means to convince. He calls us by the Gospel to create faith. Faith sees!

Jesus answered the seekers: “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent.” Though we do not need visible signs to believe, as the word and Spirit are enough, He does send signs into our lives occasionally to reinforce the faith He already granted. Look for them!